Pilgrim tours to Israel. History and modernity

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Pilgrim tours to Israel - a phenomenon far from beingnew, although gaining increasing popularity not only among Russians, but also among Europeans. Religious tourism has become very popular since communications between different countries have become much simpler with the advent of cheap air travel. However, this phenomenon has a long history and its own traditions.

Pilgrim tours to Israel. History

Already in the first century after the death of Christ, allplaces, one way or another connected with his life and death, began to acquire a special glory among the first Christians. It is known that the mother of the first Christian emperor of Byzantium, Elena, who later received the title of Equal-to-the-Apostles, traveled to Jerusalem with the intention of finding relics associated with Christ.

This trip can be considered a prototypepilgrimage tours to Israel, which was then called Palestine and was under the authority of the Roman emperors. At that time Equal-to-the-Apostles Elena managed to find a cave in which Jesus was buried, later called the Holy Sepulcher. On the site of the cave was erected a temple, which became one of the most important for Christians around the world.

Relics and attractions

In today's world, getting to Jerusalem has becomemuch easier than in previous centuries. For this, the believers are provided with Orthodox pilgrimage tours to Israel, always ready to receive guests, regardless of the purposes of their journey.

One of the most significant places is the TempleResurrection of the Lord. According to the Gospels that make up the New Testament, it was in this place that Jesus was crucified later and buried. At the same place, he, of course, resurrected.

Despite the fact that the temple complex and relatedwith him events are important for all branches of Christianity, the temple is governed by the Jerusalem Patriarchate, because the surname of the Jerusalem Patriarch is considered one of the oldest in the Christian churches.

Russian Pilgrims in Jerusalem

The first pilgrims from the Russian state went to Palestine immediately after the adoption of Christianity, and then this tradition did not fade even in the most difficult times.

From historical documents it is known that afterthe fall of Jerusalem under the authority of the Muslim rulers of travel there became much more complicated, and after the fall of Constantinople in the fifteenth century became much more dangerous.

Since the journey to the Holy Land took placemost often on foot, they were full of dangers, and to reduce the risk people gathered in groups called squads. Modern pilgrims also prefer to visit Christian shrines in groups, for this purpose pilgrim tours from Moscow to Israel are organized. The life of modern pilgrims is greatly simplified by accessible and convenient transportation and organized support from travel companies and charitable and religious organizations.

Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem

Organizations involved in the help of worshipers,say that among those who come to Israel, pilgrims from Russia and Ukraine make up almost half. This information indicates a rapid increase in the number of pilgrims and now we can safely talk about reviving the old tradition of pilgrimage tours from Moscow.

However, such a rapid increase in popularityThe pilgrimage also creates some problems. In the opinion of the Interreligious Council of Russia, very often there is a substitution of concepts when, under the guise of pilgrimage, people are provided with ordinary tourist services, excursions with visits to historical monuments, without doing preliminary spiritual preparation that helps to make the most of the spiritual journey.</ span </ p>